If you are a fan of the Detroit Pistons, there are plenty of reasons to hate the Los Angeles Lakers and you should, as it is your birthright. But that doesn’t mean the Pistons shouldn’t target them in an NBA Draft day trade.
The Detroit Pistons will have four picks entering the NBA Draft, including the overall number one pick, which they will almost certainly use to draft Cade Cunningham, who looks like the next superstar in the NBA.
The final three picks are all in the second round, and even though Troy Weaver has shown an eye for undervalued talent, finding impact NBA players in the second round is no easy task.
The Pistons could try to use some of those picks and other assets to move into the first round and get a player who has a chance to make the roster.
They could do this by targeting a team like Oklahoma City, who might want a young player like Sekou Doumbouya or future picks, or they could target a veteran team who doesn’t need or want a draft pick and would rather have a proven veteran to make a playoff run.
The Los Angeles Lakers fall into the second category.
The Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers are a good match for a NBA Draft day trade
The Pistons are coming off a 20-win season that was a masterclass in tanking. Though they are expected to be better next season, they are likely still a season or two from making serious contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons have a couple of veterans on short-term deals who may not fit that timeline and could be offered up in trade for a late first round pick.
The Lakers, on the other hand, have two superstars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis who are trying to win titles now. Adding a draft pick isn’t going to move the needle for them, and they’d prefer getting a proven veteran who can help them right away.
They have the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, which makes them a good trade target for the Detroit Pistons.